The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania
Susquahanna CO PA LDS Priesthood Restoration Site.jpg
A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.
AreaNA Northeast
Members52,149 (2021)[1]
Stakes13
Wards78
Branches29
Total Congregations107
Missions2
Temples1 Operating
1 Under Construction
2 Total
Family History Centers46[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania refers to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Pennsylvania. Joseph and Emma Smith lived in Northern Pennsylvania near the Susquehanna River just prior to the organization of the LDS Church. Much of the translation of the Book of Mormon and revelation of the Priesthood occurred here during that time. As of 2019, the LDS Church reported 52,290 members in 108 congregations.[1]

Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.40% in 2014.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, less than 1% of Pennsylvanians self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[4] The LDS Church is the 13th largest denomination in Pennsylvania.[5]

History

Membership in Pennsylvania
YearMembership
1940900
19604,600
197918,146
1989*28,000
199937,749
200948,477
201952,290
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Pennsylvania[1]

Joseph Smith and the first members of the Church were baptized in the Susquehanna River in May 1829.[6]

A total of 12 congregations were organized in Pennsylvania in the 1830s, before members gathered to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois.[7]

In 2016 Inga Saffron, architecture critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer, called the new Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple "the most radical work of architecture built in Philadelphia in a half-century ... because it dares to be so out of step with today's design sensibilities and our bottom-line culture." Estimating its cost as more than $100 million, she wrote that the temple was "the real classical deal" and "a bold incursion into the hierarchical fabric of Philadelphia".[8]

Stakes

A meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Meetinghouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

As of February 2022, Pennsylvania had the following stakes (with the stake center in Pennsylvania):[9][10][11]

Stake Mission Temple District
Altoona Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Washington D.C.
Chambersburg Pennsylvania Stake Maryland Baltimore Washington D.C.
Gettysburg Pennsylvania Stake Maryland Baltimore Washington D.C.
Harrisburg Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Lancaster Pennsylvania Stake Maryland Baltimore Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Washington D.C.
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania North Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Columbus Ohio
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Columbus Ohio
Reading Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Scranton Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Valley Forge Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Williamsport Pennsylvania Stake Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Missions

Temples

class=notpageimage|
Temples in Pennsylvania
Red = Operating
Blue = Under Construction
Yellow = announced
Black = Closed for Renovations
Main article: Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple

The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple was announced on October 4, 2008, by church president Thomas S. Monson.[12]

Philadelphia LDS temple 2.jpg
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Notes: 		Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
October 4, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[13]
September 17, 2011 by Henry B. Eyring
September 18, 2016 by Henry B. Eyring[14]
61,466 sq ft (5,710.4 m2) on a 1.6-acre (0.65 ha) site
Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference.[13]
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Size: 		Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, United States
5 April 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[15]
21 August 2021 by Randall K. Bennett
32,000 sq ft (3,000 m2) on a 5.8-acre (2.3 ha) site

References

  1. ^ a b c "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State:Pennsylvania", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved April 11, 2022
  2. ^ Category:Pennsylvania Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved April 11, 2022
  3. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)
  4. ^ "Adults in Pennsylvania: Religious composition of adults in Pennsylvania". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021. Note:While it's the thirteenth largest denomination in Pennsylvania, it's the fourteenth largest denomination when "nondenominational" is considered as a denomination.
  6. ^ Quinn (1994, pp. 5–6, 15–20); Bushman (2005, pp. 74–75).
  7. ^ "Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 3 April 2020.
  8. ^ Saffron, Inga (August 2, 2016). "Changing Skyline: Mormon Temple: Radical conservative upstart". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  9. ^ "Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  10. ^ "Washington D.C. Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  11. ^ "Columbus Ohio Temple District", churchofjesuschristtemples.org, retrieved June 20, 2021
  12. ^ Dougherty, James M (October 4, 2008), "Rome LDS temple, four others announced", Deseret News, retrieved November 5, 2012
  13. ^ a b Mikita, Carole (October 4, 2008). "LDS Church plans temples in Rome, 4 other locations". KSL.com. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  14. ^ Weaver, Sarah Jane (September 18, 2016). "President Eyring dedicates temple in Philadelphia, the place 'where so much began'". Deseret News.
  15. ^ "Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at General Conference: The Church will build its first temple in the Middle East", Newsroom, LDS Church, 5 April 2020

Further reading

External links


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